The Kingspan MICROHOME 2026
Buildner
📌About the Event
The Kingspan MICROHOME 2026 is an international architecture and design competition inviting participants to rethink compact, sustainable living. Organised by Buildner in partnership with Kingspan, the 11th edition challenges participants to design an innovative microhome of no more than 25 square metres for a young professional couple. The proposal should demonstrate how thoughtful spatial planning, efficient technology and environmentally responsible materials can create a comfortable permanent home within a minimal footprint.
ℹ️ Event Details
- Edition: 11th edition
- Competition type: International architecture ideas competition
- Mode of conduct: Online; registration and project submission are completed digitally through the Buildner platform.
- Theme: Small-scale, sustainable and energy-efficient residential architecture
- Design challenge: Create a modular, self-sufficient and energy-efficient microhome for a hypothetical young professional couple.
- Maximum permitted floor area: 25 square metres, calculated as the combined area of all floors.
- Site: Participants may select any hypothetical location worldwide; no fixed competition site has been prescribed.
- Intended use: Permanent residential accommodation for two people.
- Participation format: Individual participation or teams of up to four members.
- Submission language: English
- Required submission: Four A2 presentation panels containing the most important drawings, visualisations, diagrams and information needed to explain the design.
📅 Important Dates
- Registration opened: November 10, 2025
- Early-bird registration period: November 10, 2025–February 11, 2026
- Advance registration period: February 12–May 27, 2026
- Last-minute registration period: May 28–September 30, 2026
- Final registration deadline: September 30, 2026
- Competition Q&A deadline: October 5, 2026
- Project submission deadline: November 2, 2026
🎯 Eligibility & Rules
- Eligibility:
- The competition is open worldwide to students, architects, designers, artists, enthusiasts, companies and other creative individuals.
- No professional architecture qualification is required.
- Indian students and professionals are eligible to participate.
- Entries may be developed individually or by teams containing a maximum of four members.
- All competition communication and submission material must be in English.
- The proposed microhome’s total floor area must not exceed 25 square metres.
- For multi-storey proposals, the areas of all floors together must remain within the 25-square-metre limit.
- Rooftop spaces and enclosed internal courtyards must be counted within the permitted area when they form part of the usable design.
- The design should provide an off-grid or self-sufficient permanent home for a young professional couple.
🏆 Benefits for the Participants
- Total prize fund: €100,000
- First Prize: €30,000
- Second Prize: €10,000
- Third Prize: €5,000
- Buildner Student Award: €10,000
- Kingspan Award: €30,000
- Kingspan Compliment Awards: Three awards of €5,000 each